The University of South Australia has opened an Advanced Manufacturing facility and revealed an $18 million investment across 4 of its space research projects through the iLAuNCH Trailblazer.
This investment continues to build on the university’s pivotal role in advancing the space sector in South Australia.
The new Advanced Manufacturing Metal 3D printing facility will provide cutting-edge support to the industry with rapid 3D printing of metals for space structures and the printing of titanium and nickel alloys that are crucial for space technologies.
The facility will support the creation of new jobs and lead to global exports within the space industry. It will also support the manufacturing of custom-made parts and other space infrastructure that can save businesses time and cost.
Assistant Minister for Education, Senator Anthony Chisholm said that iLAuNCH is bringing together world-class researchers from the University of Southern Queensland, the Australian National University, and the University of South Australia along with industry partners to develop Australia’s sovereign space capabilities.
“Our government is committed to supporting collaborative initiatives, such as the iLAuNCH Trailblazer, which are set to produce innovative solutions that bolster our nation’s space exploration capabilities, create more employment opportunities and grow our economy,” Assistant Minister Chisholm said.
“It’s excellent to see our universities working with industry partners to advance the space manufacturing sector by investing in technologies that are developed by Australians and commercialised through local company partnerships.”
The iLAuNCH Trailblazer is one of 6 projects to receive $50 million as part of the $370.3 million Trailblazer Universities Program, with $45 million also supporting universities to partner with the CSIRO.
The project is further supported by an investment of $180 million from industry and education partners, such as Spiral Blue, VPG Innovation and entX, contributing to a potential $3.6 billion in net economic benefit by 2040.
To find out more about the iLAuNCH Trailblazer, visit iLAuNCH.